As the trend has pushed semiconductor devices to smaller and smaller sizes, different patterning techniques have arisen. These techniques include spacer defined quadruple patterning, extreme ultraviolet lithography (EUV), and EUV combined with Spacer Defined Double patterning.
In addition, Directed self-assembly (DSA) has been considered as an option for future lithography applications. DSA involves the use of block copolymers to define patterns for self-assembly. The block copolymers used may include poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), polystyrene, or poly(styrene-block-methyl methacrylate) (PS-b-PMMA). Other block copolymers may include emerging “high-Chi” polymers, which may potentially enable small dimensions.
The patterning techniques described above may utilize an infiltrateable material, such as an EUV polymer or DSA block copolymer resist, disposed on a substrate to enable high resolution patterning of the substrate. To satisfy the requirements of both high resolution and line-edge roughness, the polymer resist may commonly be a thin layer. However, such thin polymer resists layer may have several drawbacks. In particular, high resolution polymer resists may have low etch resistance and may suffer from high line edge roughness. This low etch resistance and the high line edge roughness may makes the transfer of decent patterned to underlying layers more difficult.
It may therefore be advantageous to infiltrate an infiltrateable material, for example the patterned material resist, to alter the properties of the infiltrateable material. To perform infiltration of the patterned material long exposure times to precursors may be necessary.
Self-assembled monolayers (SAM) may be used for aiding patterning as well. Self-assembled monolayers of organic molecules may be molecular assemblies formed spontaneously on surfaces by adsorption and self-organization into more or less large ordered domains. Self-assembled monolayers may also require long exposure times to the SAM molecules.
It is therefore advantageously to have an optimized chemical deposition, treatment and/or infiltration apparatus for providing a chemical reaction on and/or in a surface of a substrate.